Tuesday, October 8, 2013

First/Last-Jonny Rodgers

"In addition to touring and recording his songs based around tuned wine glasses, guitar, and electronics, Jonny Rodgers isalso a composer and producer, writing chamber, orchestral and choral music for concert and film. His
newest material prominently features tuned wine glasses, guitars and
electronics with live loops used in unexpected and captivating ways."

The first album you ever bought?
U2's “Boy” album, which was pretty old when I bought it, but I'd been reading a
book about their early years and was excited to hear what their "raw,
early sound" was.

Your last album bought?
Roomful Of Teeth, “Partita”. Restores my faith in music as an art form every
time I hear it.

Favorite album of all time?
Oh gosh. That's a toughie. There are so many.
Here are 10 that I currently love listening to when I'm in an airport or
driving or resting on a Sunday afternoon: Ivan Moravec doing Chopin's “Preludes”,
The Police “Singles”, Neutral Milk Hotel “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea”, Paul
Simon “Graceland”, Son Lux “We Are Rising”, Simone Dinnerstein Bach's “Goldberg
Variations”, Benjamin Britten “A Ceremony Of Carols”, Leslie "Hutch"
Hutchinson “Hutch Sings Cole Porter”, Getz/Gilberto, Luiz Bonfa “Solo in Rio” (1959).

Least favorite/most disappointing
album?
I can't think of any that I'd put in this category. There's a lot of pop-punk
from the early '90s that I'd be happy to never hear again. Kanye's last
album “Yeezus” was pretty gross (just being honest here).

First concert attended?
In a stadium - Jethro Tull doing some kind of reunion tour when I was super
young. But before that, a local cover band doing hits like ‘The Boys Are Back In
Town’ which I thought was super cool when I was 9.

Last concert?
Josh Garrels, Loud Harp, A Boy And His Kite.

Favorite concert ever?
I can't say what my favorite concert ever was, but when I see a performer that
is so awesome that I laugh out loud, I know they've hit me good! Some recent
examples:
Son Lux w. Stephen Petronius ‘Like Lazarus Did’, Burlap To Cashmere (chills
every time), Jonsi ‘Go’ tour.

Least favorite concert?
Eric Clapton.

Any thoughts,
experiences about Pittsburgh?
I haven't been there for YEARS - Can't wait to come through! There may have
been a real "Electric Banana" there that I played on my first tour
with my band Mighty Purple in my teens. It was a stressful night. I expect my
show on Oct 8th will be much better!

Thanks, Jonny. Playing wine glasses at a winery? Doesn't get much more meta than that!